Traveller flies to Mexico purely for the air miles – but ends up in jail at the hands of corrupt police and having his passport stolen in a viral tale likened to a real-life version of The Hangover
A frequent flyer has revealed how he ended up in a Mexican jail at the hands of corrupt police during a trip he took to reach a special loyalty status with an airline.
TV and internet producer Andrew Kimmel told of his extraordinarily rotten luck on his Twitter account – a tale so dramatic that some likened it to a real-life version of movie The Hangover.
The gripping thread begins with Kimmel explaining that he learned he was just a $275 spend short of achieving Executive Platinum status with American Airlines.
A frequent flyer has revealed how he ended up in a jail at the hands of corrupt police during a trip he took to Cabo San Lucas, pictured, to reach a special loyalty status with an airline
He asked the carrier if he could just pay them the cash, rather than buy a plane ticket.
Yes, was the answer, but it would have to be $1,875.
Not willing to fork out the lump sum, Kimmel bought a $400 return ticket to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for 24 hours instead.
But rather than enjoying a whirlwind visit full of sunshine and laughter, he quickly found himself at the mercy of conmen.
Mr Kimmel summed up his escapade with this January 1 tweet
He explained that found a cheap hotel to stay in, rented car – then ‘decided to hit some bars’.
He wrote: ‘At the last bar of the evening, I was presented with a bill for over $300.
‘I had two beers.
‘The bar manager said I needed to pay or he’d call the police. I give him my credit card and it was declined due to fraud protection.’
He continued: ‘The bar manager was now threatening me. He grabbed me and brought me to an ATM outside. I refused to take out cash. So he called the police.
‘Surely the Mexican police would understand the situation.’
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, because it turned out the police were working with the manager of the bar – called Urban Bar – on the con.
Mr Kimmel tweeted that he was jailed at the hands of Mexican police
He was handcuffed as the bar manager stole his debit card and passport.
Kimmel was then put in a jail ‘somewhere outside of Cabo’.
He was told he would be released after 30 minutes.
Several hours later, he was still locked up. It was a desperately grim situation.
But he had a guardian angel.
Kimmel explains that a ‘Kenyan woman’ arrived and paid his bail after hearing what happened to him.
‘It really will make the perfect rom-com movie. Netflix should start working on this’
A Kenyan woman who he then admitted he was attracted to.
In the end, he was able to return to Los Angeles after the ‘African crush’ lent him money for an immigration form that officials at Cabo San Lucas International Airport said he needed for a passport-less flight back to the U.S.
After a kiss goodbye, he boarded an LA-bound plane and landed on New Year’s Day, relieved he’d made it out.
The yarn quickly went viral, with one Twitter user, Trinity Resists, saying it had ‘shades of The Hangover’.
Another, Steven Cravis, said: ‘It really will make the perfect rom-com movie. Netflix should start working on this.’
American Airlines eventually got wind of the escapade and tweeted: ‘Reaching Executive Platinum status isn’t easy. For those who make it, the benefits are amazing. We’re happy you’ll make your goal.’
The benefits of Executive Platinum status include complimentary upgrades within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Caribbean and upgrades for companions in certain instances.